Five Rescued From Flooded Laos Cave; Two Remain Missing

Overview

• Rescuers found five of seven men alive in a dry chamber hundreds of meters inside the cave and evacuated the first survivor after specialist divers guided him out on Friday night.
• After teams paused to review plans, pumps lowered water levels and four of the found survivors walked out unassisted on Saturday, receiving medical checks and hospital care.
• Laos and Thai teams joined international cave-diving volunteers who taught emergency underwater procedures because narrow, low-visibility passages make full diver-led carries impossible.
• Search and water-management work continues for two people still missing and teams are investigating a narrow fissure and deeper sixth chamber that could explain their location.
• Heavy monsoon rain and steep, remote terrain keep the operation hazardous and raise the risk that rising water will slow or halt further access through the flooded passages.